Private Health Insurance

[bad company]

Mrs BC and turn 60 this year and feel that we can no longer rely on the NHS. We have been looking at quotes from several private insurers BUT we know that you never know if your insurance is any good until you need to claim.

Does anybody here have any experience of WPA and \ or Exeter Life as these seem most competitive. The WPA policy is very reasonable but you have to pay the first 25% of any claim yourself up to a maximum of £500.

[bad company]

Vaud said:

Depends on the treatment, but £500 doesn't buy much privately?

£500 would be the cap on the excess.

[bad company]

meddyg said:

I'm interested to know what's happened for you to conclude that you "can no longer rely on the NHS"?

My GP simply does not seem to have the budget to refer patients with non life threatening conditions to specialists. I literally hobbled into his surgery a few weeks ago with sciatica. It was so bad that I could not even get to tie my own shoe laces. All I got was pain killers so I paid for my own special is and MRI which revealed a slipped disc.

I'm not against the NHS but for me it was designed for a time when treatment was cheaper and few of lived beyond 65 - 70.

[bad company]

Vaud said:

bad company said:

My GP simply does not seem to have the budget to refer patients with non life threatening conditions to specialists. I literally hobbled into his surgery a few weeks ago with sciatica. It was so bad that I could not even get to tie my own shoe laces. All I got was pain killers so I paid for my own special is and MRI which revealed a slipped disc.

I'm not against the NHS but for me it was designed for a time when treatment was cheaper and few of lived beyond 65 - 70.

Can you change GP?

Possibly but I can't see how another GP would not have the same budget issues.

[bad company]

meddyg said:

It might be worth discussing your concerns with the GP first, to see why they didn't refer. I mention this, because the lack of a referral may not have been motivated by budget (GP's don't actually get charged per referral they do, so they don't lose money if they make too many referrals), it might have been motivated by other factors - clinical decision making for example.

If this was just one incident I would agree but NHS waiting lists are not good at the best of times even if you can get a referral. Say my GP had referred me in that instance, it would have taken 10 - 12 weeks to see the consultant, then another 10 - 12 weeks to get the MRI done, then another appointment with the consultant before joining the waiting list for the treatment.

The NHS is fantastic for serious stuff but for routine matters I prefer private.

[bad company]

DaiBakes said:

I have insurance via WPA at work. Used them a few times for the kids with no issues. Good online portal, swift service on the phone and invoices paid quickly.

Thanks for that. A few people have recommended WPA so it looks like we either go with them or carry on self insuring.

[bad company]

blindswelledrat said:

Mind me asking what you've been quoted at your age and what it doesn't cover?
I always had it in my head that it becomes unaffordable in your 60s.

£219.14 monthly for both of us, I'm 60 & Mrs BC is still 59 (just). We don't smoke and our BMI is low.

[bad company]

Rick101 said:

That's a bit for than us (35/37). £25 odd each pm.

And you should be able to stay close to that providing that you don't get any older.

Our quote is for WPA Elite cover with 25% excess capped at £500.

[bad company]

Steve Campbell said:

wiggy001 said:

Serious question: have you considered how much treatment/consultant time you could buy with those premiums?

As a family we have had cause to pay privately for consultants in the past - if anything serious is found then the NHS takes over and, as you say, they are pretty good for the serious stuff. For less serious stuff you £219 a month buys a lot of help.

For example, a decent Osteo at £50ph should be able to detect a slipped disc.

Exactly what I was thinking. Think I'd be tempted to just create my own healthcare bank account and plough £440 a month into it.

We have been doing that for the year but at a lower level, £250 monthly between us which is probably not enough. Why do you suggest £440? That's just about double the quote from WPA 9.5% of which is insurance premium tax.

Edited by bad company on Sunday 29th May 10:53